After much searching and back ordered parts I finally got my dipstick tube. I drained the torque converter and pan of all the fluid and replaced the filter and pan gasket. No leaks and fresh fluid.



You have to drill the hole in the case a little larger and the tube in shorter than stick but since you can buy a stock replacement I will deal. I also replaced the o2 sensor so it runs a lot better.

 

Well I got the truck running and have been driving it for a week for so. First issue, solved but could have been very speedy, I went through and check and changed all the fluids. Except one the tcase. Went driving sunday and the truck had a weird grinding/slapping noise. Checked it out Monday and gave up. Then today I drove it and made it a few miles and then high tailed it to the shop parked it for the day and drove off P!$$3D. Dad drove it and thought that the chain was slapping inside the case. But then it hit me, check the fluid nothing, surprised it made it for a week until this surfaced. Needless to say I got the case filled and drives great. I ran two tanks through it and its getting about 15/16 mpg's I like that. I have found another potential issue arise, when I changed the timing chain and the cover gaskets. I am getting a little antifreeze seeping out of the top of the timing cover, I don't know if the fel-pro gaskets failed or I didn't get the cover cleaned enough. Needless to say I am hopping that it will seal up or I have to rip the front end apart to repair it. I read that the OEM covers have issues with resealing. This is driving me crazy. I am sweet talking mama to buy me some window motors for Christmas. I have been pondering on what color to paint the truck, like the the two tone and I have seen a few that are the same colors but opposit, and I like that. Or maybe a dark blue or silver. I really like black and I had an 85 that was black in high school but I don't think that the trim down the side wont work with black. Also the street tires I have on it suck in extreme wet or ice. I have to get some used all terrains from work. Lastly I am looking into some interior updated. Like a vinyl floor instead of carpet and some paint for the door panels and dash plastic. And then I have to get a chunk of foam to fix where the PO had eating the drivers seat out in the a$$ area. Also I did a oil change when I installed the engine, I went with 5w30 but it has a slight tick until the oil pressure comes up I think I need to run 10w30, any thoughts? Lol! That's it for now.

 

What do you think of these "push" bars? I have one my bro gave me but don't know.

 

If you need window motors get the Dorman units, they work great.

 

Next items on the list are a steering box rebuild, Thanks Encho for the good wright up, window motors, I found a set of Dorman replacements on eBay for $100 and finally I am going to remove the cat. It was plugged when I welded up the exhaust, so it was gutted but I think that is causing flow issues and bellowing is I am going to order a good hi-flow cat. I am wondering if a dual in single out or a single in/out with a y-pipe off the collectors is better? I have seen an after market collector pipes with hi-flow cats but the systems seem over priced and about the same as the originals. So I am strongly considering a replacement cat back exhaust, unless adviced different. That's about it for now.

 

It has been awhile I have been in job and house transition so that has been taking up my time. I am waiting on some tax money to get a steering box (or rebuild kit haven't decided yet) as well as the window motors and a set of Tuff Country drop axle pivot brackets. My camber is still about 1.5-2* out so these should adjust them in to speck. And replace the pivot and radius arm bushings for good measure. That's about it for right now.